title: Performance and suitability of polymerase chain reaction for early detection of bacteria in platelet concentrates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this study the applicability of a 16S rRNA real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and a Staphylococcus genus-specific PCR for screening of bacterial contamination in platelet concentrates (PCs) was determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 336 sample bags, from PCs that were routinely tested in the BacT/ALERT (bioMérieux), were collected and frozen until testing by the PCR assays. Based on the BacT/ALERT results, 107 PCs were positive and 229 were negative for bacterial growth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analytical sensitivity of the 16S rRNA real-time RT-PCR ranged from 5 to 40 colony-forming units (CFUs)/mL. The PCR detected five positive samples, four of which were also positive in the BacT/ALERT. The sensitivity of the test was 3.8%, and the specificity was 99.5%. The analytical sensitivity of the Staphylococcus genus-specific PCR ranged from 5 to 15 CFUs/mL. Thirty-nine units that were BacT/ALERT positive for staphylococci were tested with this PCR. Six samples were positive with the PCR, five of which were also BacT/ALERT positive. The sensitivity of the Staphylococcus genus-specific PCR was 12.8%, and the specificity was 98.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the rapid availability of results compared to the BacT/ALERT, the analytical sensitivity of a generic or specific PCR assay is not high enough to be an alternative for the BacT/ALERT when PCs are screened on the day of production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Blood Cell Research, Sanquin Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ineke G H
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Rood
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pettersson
authors.forename: Paul H M
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Savelkoul
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Korte
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S